Fatidic: Inferno
by HoshiiNoTenshi
Summary: What in me is dark. Illumine. What is low raise and support. That to the highth of this great argument I may assert Eternal Providence and justify the ways of God to men.


Hey everyone, this isn't my first fanfic but its my first for the PJO universe. Anyway read and review. Let me know what you think and also I am in need of a Beta reader if anyone is up for the task. If there are any questions go ahead and ask. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I wish I did but I am a poor college student.

Canto I: Call me Jack-the-bear

Have you ever looked in the mirror and examined every inch of your face and decided that you hated the way you looked? That is what I do everyday of my life. And this day was the worst of my life. First, some weird snake-woman hybrid in an alley on 135th and Lennox attacked me and then proceeded to chase me all the way to my house on Astor Row. Let me stop the image of me running like a crack head on fire and let me tell you two things: I am not a runner and I am not on the track and field team. But when you see a sharp twenty-foot stick a.k.a javelin. (Hey just because I'm not on the team doesn't mean I'm ignorant of such things. I mean I operate on keep your friends close and keep your enemies closer….so same thing goes for things I dislike. I fully try to understand things I dislike so I have more fuel to dislike them or change my opinion of that certain thing.) So where was I…running away from that snake woman faster than a buddy from a dope boy. At this point in the story I wish I could say that some great hero saved this damsel in distress but unfortunately the only person walking by or actually rolling by was the old man from up the street. My mother once told me that this old man was once a great poet by the name of James Mercer or whatever but he caught the slow cancer and lost the use of his legs. I know this will sound utterly ridiculous but this old man whipped out a lethal looking 8-inch blade and with deadly accuracy killed the snake woman…I mean really this old man was like 80 and looked like if a passing wind could kill him. He had wispy white hair and matching eyebrows, dark brown skin and a lethal stare that went along with his ninja skills. For some reason, the twilight zone theme song began to play in my head as I saw the blade hit the snake woman in the back of her neck and saw the tip grow from the front as she lowered her javelin to strike me. In that second, I saw her try to gurgle out something that sounded like "uahgisha spawn…" and she exploded into golden dust that due to my own screaming landed in my mouth. Monster dust is like eating yellow snow minus the wetness. Gross and disgusting. Then a second later my body rejected said substance and I heaved it all over the porch. As I gave into my bodily functions, I could hear the old man wheel his chair closer to me. His chair squeaked and creaked as he reached down to retrieve his weapon.

The first thing that occurred to me to say, in between breaths was "That was…dope old man." He laughed at me. A hearty laugh that came deep from his belly that reverberated along the walls of the porch due to the baritone of his voice. Finally he stopped and looked at me seriously. His voice sounded similar to Michael Clark Duncan.

"When you and your family moved in. You didn't strike me as one of us," he said to me. He waited for me to catch my breath. He motioned to me to wipe my face because I had chunks on it.

"One of who. I'm black and your black," I said to him indignantly. He smirked and shook his head. "Not that you fool, a half-ling." I could feel my face screw up into a bewildered expression that was a cross between disgusting and absolute cluelessness (I know that isn't a word but hey when someone refers to you as half something your immediate reaction is disgust but for some reason I knew he meant that in a different way.)

"A demigod" he finally said answering my unvoiced question.

"A what…" I spluttered out.

"A demigod, child of a god with a mortal," he interrupted.

A few seconds passed as we stared at each other. I could see my own blue eyes reflected back in the old man's hazel eyes that were slowly being consumed by the silver hue of cataracts. I studied his face trying to find a hint of lying. Nothing but lines of age in his dark brown skin.

"You crazy right," I finally asked him seriously.

"In the mortal world, not so much but in our world I am quite respected. Believing in the concrete gets you killed because you hesitate," he said with a hint of humor in his voice.

"Umm…am I caught in a coming of age movie and you are the aged person that takes me under his wing to teach me the ways of the world that will aide me in a journey of self discovery," I asked him.

He chuckled heartily again, "Please if only it was as mundane as a John Hughes story."

"Wait weren't you already old when those movies came out," I said.

"Old age doesn't prevent me from doing things you know, and actually I was only in my thirties back then."

"But you look so old" I could hear the disbelief in my own voice.

"Trust me, hit me back in about a year and tell me if you still think and act like a 16 year-old," he said in that same joking manner.

"So," he continued as I sat there on the top step with the pool of sick behind me, "your kinda old to be out here without training, didn't the gods promise to claim all their children by the age of 12 a decade ago. Anyway little girl I found you, I saved you and I really don't think I need to explain but here goes." He cleared his throat and began in an official manner, "You my dear are a demigod, child of a god and a mortal woman…"

"But you already said that" I interrupted.

"Don't interrupt. Anyway where was I… right…You are a child of a mortal woman and a Greek god. Probably a minor god at that if this was your first attack." I began to protest and he raised his hand "Yes Greek Gods are more real than the statues in The Met. No they don't look like those statues. They are quite modern in how they look or rather how they want us to see them. That snake woman that I killed was a dracaenae. They are ancient monsters that love the blood of demigods. Trust me there are worst things that go bump in the night besides her. Just talk to Sally's boy and he'll tell you. Anyway, I don't think your mom knew your father was a god."

"Actually my father died while my mother was pregnant with me. He was killed in front of her," I said morosely.

"Hmm," he contemplated, "No, few mortals are born with clear sight and you were attacked by a monster by default you are a demigod. Mortals with clear sight are never attacked unless accompanied by a demigod. We give off very distinct auras that attract monsters. I can see you fidgeting with the hem of your skirt and your eyes keep darting in every direction. Do you have ADHD?" He waited.

"Actually I don't know I was never tested. My mother doesn't believe in that disorder. She says that it's an excuse for mothers that are unable to handle their children."

"I see….tell me do you have dyslexia," again he waited for my answer. I hesitated after all that was _my_ secret. No one was supposed to know about that. My mother didn't even know.

"You kept it a secret, I'm guessing. Never told your mom. Did extra work to compensate?"

"You are the typical wise kung fu master aren't you?"

He laughed, "Kung fu is very useful, dear. No I'm not. I did the same thing. Growing up in my time those types of disorders were unheard of. In my time, children were seen and not heard and when seen we would have to be the picture of stillness. How many times my grandmother slapped the back of my head in church for moving too much were too many to count. I'm surprised that I don't have brain damage…."

"You mentioned church…if the Greek gods are real then what of god," I interrupted his musings.

"I have never met him…but I like what his demigod son had to say but lets leave them in the world of mortals. ADHD is for battle reflexes. At least you weren't medicated that means it will be faster to train you for battle. Dyslexia is for your ability to understand ancient Greek. Di' oligou espera genesetai, di oligou gar en kinduno esometha."

"It's daylight savings it doesn't get dark until 8 and its only 4, and besides your here can't you just save me again." He sat there looking at me placidly with a slight smirk plastered on his face.

"What was I saying," he asked after a few seconds.

"You said that Dyslexia is for the ability to understand ancient Greek. And then instead of explaining you said 'Soon it will become evening, soon we will be in danger.'" I said.

"Actually that was your explanation."

"Explanation for what? The time," I asked.

"No for the ability to understand ancient Greek. See dear, I told you that statement in ancient Greek but you heard it in English in your head ignoring the actual words that were said to you. I am going to say it to you again and this time I want you to concentrate on the words that are coming out of my mouth." He said.

He started slowly pronouncing each word and even though I heard English in my head I could clearly hear the ancient Greek words similar to SAT level English vocabulary words but harsher, rougher and older. I began to say something but I found nothing. I think I closed my mouth about twenty times before he finally said that I looked like a gold fish gulping for air.

"So you need training, I think I know someone who can help you. It's summer so I think you can go to the camp."  
"Camps are for little kids with rich parents."

"Please child, this camp is not optional and your father has a place for you already," he finished and began searching around in his pockets muttering to himself. About a minute of searching he fished out a prism that was fastened upon a silver chain and a coin that looked like a gold dollar. He motioned to me to take the prism and told me to hold it up. I did as instructed and saw as the light refracted inside and broke into a rainbow. He muttered something under his breath and threw the gold coin at the rainbow. At this point I expected the coin to land on the porch but it melted into the rainbow and a voice rang out "Stop running after monsters please, Percy. You are going to give your old mother a heart attack."

"Mom, you know I bare the curse," a man's voice said. The picture in the rainbow became clear. There sat a dark haired woman at a kitchen table and opposite her was a guy that was somewhere in his twenties.

"Even so, I know that makes your hubris more deadly and lately you've been a bit cocky Annabeth tells me" the woman said.

"Excuse for interrupting your conversation but Sally you know your boy never listens he is slower than molasses when it comes to things that are practical," the old man said. To my surprise the woman neither jumped nor gasped in surprise. She chuckled and said "Now, now James, Percy isn't always slow he just thinks that since he is now a man he doesn't have to take the advice of his mother," she said.

"Boy, you know your mother is extremely smart and she knows what's best for you" the old man said addressing the man named Percy. I cringed at the name poor guy having to go through life with such a name must have been torture.

"Trust me I know what I'm doing. So what's up old man," said Percy.

"I guess luck is on your side today," the old man said looking at me.

"Is someone else there Mr. Mercer?"

"Yes, it's a teenager that got attacked by a dracaenae today. Percy weren't the gods supposed to claim their children by the age of 12."

"Yes that was the agreement. I made them swear by the River Styx."

"Well I think this one got overlooked, She is 16 and this was her first attack. I think there is going to be major retribution. Anyway, she and her mother need explanations. What time will your mother be home, girl?"

"Umm…I think around 6," I answered looking at the scene before me in disbelief.

"That will be more than enough time for me and Annabeth to get over to Harlem. Mr. Mercer will you help me" Percy asked.

"Sure thing, meet me at my house and we will walk over to meet her mother."

"Okay thanks, I will see you when we get there," as he said that Percy waved his hand through the image and ended the weirdest conversation I have ever had since I viewed everything from the backside. It was like looking at a 2d image from the back and knowing that it should have been 3d.

"Okay you need to go inside, pack some stuff, clean this mess up and I will be back around 6:30 to have a chat with your mother," he said as he turned his chair around and wheel down the walk way.

"How did you get into the wheel chair," I decided to ask. He stopped but didn't face me.

"A stray hound appeared one night when I was driving home from my son's football game. My family was in the car. It didn't end well for neither the hound nor myself," his voice took on that far away quality that made me understand that his mind was some place else. After a few seconds of silent thinking he wheeled his way up the street and I watched till his shadow became a tiny line on the pavement in the blazing afternoon sun.


End file.
